Replies

From: Galatians 5:18-25

The Fruits of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh (Continuation)

[16] But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.
[17] For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spi-
rit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from
doing what you would. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the
law. [19] Now the works of the flesh are plain: immorality, impurity, licentious-
ness, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissen-
sion, party spirit, [21] envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you,
as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the king-
dom of God. [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such there is no
law. [24] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires. [25] If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

17-21. The fall of Adam and Eve left us with a tendency to seek created things
for our own pleasure, instead of using them to lead us to God. The desires of
the flesh make their appearance, urges which are at odds with God and with all
that is noble in our personality. But when grace enters our soul and justifies us,
we share in the fruits of the Redemption wrought by Christ and we are enabled
to conquer our concupiscence and life according to the flesh.

The vices referred to in vv. 19-21 have their roots in something much deeper —
life “of the flesh”. And, St Augustine asserts, “it is said that someone lives ac-
cording to the flesh when he lives for himself. Therefore, in this case, by ‘flesh’
is meant the whole person. For everything which stems from a disordered love
of oneself is called work of the flesh” (”The City of God”, 14, 2).

This is why we find included in the “works of the flesh” not only sins of impurity
(v. 19) and faults of temperance (v. 21 ) but also sins against the virtues of reli-
gion and fraternal charity (v. 20).

“Significantly, when speaking of ‘the works of the flesh’ Paul mentions not only
‘immorality [fornication], impurity, licentiousness [...], drunkenness, carousing —
all of which objectively speaking are connected with the flesh; he also names o-
ther sins which we do not usually put in the ‘carnal’ or ‘sexual’ category — ‘idola-
try, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, envy’ [...]. All these sins are the out-
come of ‘life according to the flesh’, which is the opposite to ‘life according to the
spirit”’ (John Paul 11, “Address”, 7 January 1981).

Therefore, as the Apostle says, anyone who in one way or other obstinately per-
sists in his sin will not be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven (cf. 1 Cor 6:9-10;
Eph 5:5).

22-25. When someone lets himself be led by his instincts he is said to be lea-
ding an “animal life”; whereas, if he acts as his reason advises, he is leading a
rational, human, life. Similarly, when one allows the Holy Spirit to act, one’s life
becomes life according to the Spirit — a supernatural life, a life which is no lon-
ger simply human but divine. This is what happens when a person is in the state
of grace and is mindful of the treasure he bears within.

“Alone! You are not alone. We are keeping you close company from afar. Be-
sides..., the Holy Spirit, living in your soul in grace — God with you — is giving a
supernatural tone to all your thoughts, desires and actions” (St. J. Escriva, “The
Way”, 273).

The soul then becomes a good tree which is known by its fruits. Its actions re-
veal the presence of the Paraclete, and because of the spiritual delight they give
the soul, these actions are called fruits of the Holy Spirit (cf. St Thomas Aquinas,
Summa theologiae, I-II, q. 70, a. 1).

“Those blessed fruits enumerated by the Apostle (Gal 5:22) the Spirit produces
and shows forth in the just, even in this mortal life — fruits replete with all sweet-
ness and joy. Such must, indeed, be from the Spirit ‘who in the Trinity is the love
of the Father and the Son, filling all creatures with immeasurable sweetness’ (St
Augustine, “De Trinitate”, 6, 9)” (Leo XIII, “Divinum illud munus”, 12).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.